, 1887-06-25

60 Tnems IL mu0t &kBO Do Cu86rv0U tuHG bu@
treaty quoted is between Denmark and the
United States, not between 81. Croix and the
United States, and therefore the proposed
treaty must include Denmark. Again is
must be- asked, if the import duties are given
up what is to compensate for the loss 10
the Colonial Treasury?
He had already given the Council some
account Of this matter OF reciprocity treaties,
which would be found in the Proceedings for
1884. page 1873. He could now state b the
negotiations between Spain and the United
States had not lead to any result. The Same
was true of the negotiations between England
and the United States on behalf of the British
West India Islands. Whatprospect was there
then to get o treaty carried through between
Denmark and the United States when these
other treaties had not been carried7 But
even if it were carried, it was 90 be supposed
that other nations would ask and obtsin she
same privileges, and where then would be
our advantage? Or again. if, as he was told
by well-informed persons was likely, the
United States import tariff should be reduced
all round, where then would be our advan-
tage? We should have given up our import
duties andgained nothing in return.
He thought, however, that there was 80
little prospect of success in the negotiations
that it would be useless tp attempt them.
Such q petition as that proposed would there
fore be without result. On the other hand
he would be willing to support O petition seek
ing some measure of protection In Denmark
itself. that question was not unknown to the
Home Government. but even in chat respect
planters should not expect too much In
conclusion be would repeat that planters
must rely mainly on their own efforts.
3rd Member for Christianstod's Country
District NeeUy) thought that as proposer OF
the Petition he would have to nswer His
Excellency's able and lengthy attack, which
would be very difficult, as he was unaccus-
toned to public speaking and had not the
figures with which His Excellency had sup.
plied himself, but he would try, as best he
could, to follow the remarks and objections,
successfully.
Beginning with His Excellency's first okjeo
tSon to the words centre abandonment" he
thought, that though His Excellency's figures
seemed to show q balance, that impression
would wear away, if His Excellency could
hear the sincere and alarming fears expressed
daily around him, as to the necessity of such
a step and he was happy to say that the wei
come late rains ''only," have prevented the
contemplated stoppage of all labor till better
times, by more than one halfof the planters,
which would have been rather a striking sign
Of the nearness of the entire abandonment of
sugar cultivation here. However it would be
rather late to wait for the remedy when so
far gone.
The correctness Of the word "ruinous," the
second objection of His Excellency, was not
SO difficult to prove, even by His Excellency's
figures, for, if the revenues are always even
q triRe less,-as shown by the fgures,-than
the income, it cannot end in anything but
ruin, when it is shewn then that those ex-
penses are only for the cultivation and nothing
for the interest for capital invested and for
"wear and tear, in these our most favoured
wears? What will it be in dry years, which
we must also expect? With regard to the re-
ference to the exact accounts OF the Royal
estates, he regretted much to have made mem
ton of them without His E~xcellency's spe-
cial permission, but he hoped that the credit
which such exact and statistical bookkeeping
could only reflect, may be his excuse. and he
further hoped that His Excellency would allow
them to remain on that account.
In answer to his E~xcellency's third remark
that: 'the treaty alluded to, existed between
the United States and Denmark and not be.
tween St. Croix and the United States" be
begged to say that: sit was between the
United State and his Majesty the King
of Denmark's possessions s.into which
he thought he could include st. Croix: and
that his interpretation of the opinion Of the
United States Courts was quite oppoe
otto 70 khot If Hia Exce1fancv "a kha s11do.